


Fragments of the Bigger Picture

by FactorialRabbits



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Fanart, Gondolin, Havens of Sirion, basically just a series of variably awkward conversations, not yet rated as I have no idea where some of these will go yet, or vice versa depending on the chapter, with accompanying fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-06 09:11:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18385403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FactorialRabbits/pseuds/FactorialRabbits
Summary: Ficlets and related art, or art and related ficlets, for Gondolin Week 2019. In the form of short conversations between the two characters.Part 1: Not long after arriving in the Havens of Sirion, Egalmoth and Galdor meet on the cliffs.Part 2: Glorfindel and Ecthelion get ready for a council meeting.Part 3: Turgon was not the only person to lose a brother at the Nirnareth; Duilin attempts to connect with Penlod, and just makes everything more awkward between them.





	1. Galdor and Egalmoth:

**Author's Note:**

> There be references to headcannon here. Mostly that Galdor and Egalmoth didn't have a lot to do with each other in Gondolin, and that Galdor was happily married with at least one kid.
> 
> I sort of forgot about this, so have whatever I could both dream up and finish.
> 
> I was going to do everyone's deaths for the week, but it didn't work out.

“May I join you?”

Egalmoth turned from the sunset, looking over his shoulder to see Galdor’s familiar form. He gave a nod, and the other Lord sat down on the cliff beside him. Galdor held out a mug; Egalmoth took it, but rested it in his lap.

They sat in silence, watching the sun fall into the West, for some time.

“Why are you here?” Egalmoth asked, not looking to his companion.

Galdor shrugged, “you seemed distracted earlier.”

“Checking up on me, then?”

“Oh don’t be like that,” Galdor snapped, in a way never would have before Gondolin fell. “I am worried; it is not like you to be out here by yourself.”

“It is not like you to pretend to be responsible either,” he could feel the anger in his voice, uncharacteristic to be used on another elf.

They lapsed into silence again, neither wishing to push the other too far. They had been friends for so long, and never before had there been quite so many eggshells between them.

He could hear Galdor shift, but forced himself not to look and see him move away. As such, the hug took him by surprise. He stiffened slightly under it, causing Galdor to pull away.

“Sorry… Just…”

Egalmoth shook his head, “it was fine, just…”

Silenced reigned for a moment, before Galdor rested his head on Egalmoth’s shoulder, “just?”

“Nothing…” he paused again. He hesitated, trying to express what he was thinking properly. “Why did we survive, Galdor?”

“I do not know…”

“I wish it had been someone else with me instead of you. Maybe Glorfindel. Or Ecthelion.”

“And I wish it was my wife, or my son, instead of you.”

Egalmoth had not expected Galdor to be quite so blunt, but then so had he. And it was perfectly understandable that Galdor wanted his family instead of him. Together they sat in silence, each thinking of what they had lost, long into the night.

 


	2. Glorfindel & Ecthelion: Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glorfindel and Ecthelion get ready for a council meeting.

“Darling, have you seen my rings?”

Glorfindel turned from where he was fiddling with the clasp of his amulet, looking to his husband, “are they in the box at the back of the stocking drawer?”

Ecthelion swept off to look, furrowing about in it for a while, “no, but my bracelets are.”

“Maybe the bathroom?”

“Hmmm…”

A moment later and Glorfindel was alone in the room. He gave up on the clasp, instead brushing through his hair and placing his circlet.

“No, not the bathroom either,” Ecthelion returned to searching the room for the missing jewelry.

Of course his wedding ring was still on his finger, but the six or so bejewelled ones he usually wore were missing. They should have been more careful with where they were put last night, but then, well… They had been somewhat _distracted_ when getting into bed the previous night.

No matter how much he brushed it, Glorfindel’s hair continued to poof dramatically. Giving up once the knotts were mostly dealt with, he placed the circlet carefully in place. At least it was easier than Ecthelion’s; how he dealt with all the loose chains impersonating a waterfall he was not entirely certain.

“Found them!” Ecthelion picked up the rings from the floor, slipping them each into place.

“Wonderful,” Glorfindel help up his amulet. “The clasp is being difficult; could you…?”

“Just let me get my circlet.”

Ecthelion did not bother to brush his hair again before putting it in place, just raking his hair with slim, delicate fingers. A few moments of shaking chains into place, and he came over to take the amulet.

“Turn around?”

Glorfindel did as was requested of him, staying still as the nimble fingers pressed the last of his jewels into place. He expected the hands to then pull away, but one remained on his neck.

“Turn back so I can see?”

“Of course,” Glorfindel gave him a smile as he did so, the hand on his neck an indicator of what would come next.

“Very lovely,” Ecthelion’s eyes were fixed on Glorfindel’s rather than on his dress, and the fingers on his neck twisted into his hair.

Following the gentle prompting, Glorfindel lent down to capture Ecthelion’s lips. He slipped his hands onto his hips, but no sooner had he done so than Ecthelion pulled away again, frowning a little.

“What is wrong?” it was Glorfindel’s turn to cup Ecthelion face.

“We will be late to the meeting…”

“We will still be more on time than Rog.”

“Still…”

“Alright; I understand, I just wish we had more morning... Do you have your notes?”

“Of course,” Ecthelion showed them to him.

Glorfindel pecked his cheek, grabbed his own paperwork, and together they made their way towards the Tower of the King.


	3. Duilin & Penlod: Redistribution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Turgon was not the only person to lose a brother at the Nirnareth; Duilin attempts to connect with Penlod, and just makes everything more awkward between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not really see Penlod and Duilin as friends, more slightly awkward work colleagues. Egalmoth and Galdor at least I see as bonding once they're the only people left. 
> 
> Also no drawing today. I may double back and add one in, but I'm virus-type ill and don't have the energy to draw.
> 
> This conversation includes many references to headcanon. So, a few things for this verse:  
> * Penlod is the youngest of 3, and the original Lord of the House of the Tower of Snow. His elder brother, Fanbarad, was Lord of the House of the Pillar, but died at the Nirnareth. They also have a sister between them.  
> * Penlod and siblings are elves of Valinor, half-Noldor/half-Vanyar and raised in the court of Tirion. They're ambiguously related to Elenwë, hence getting Lord-ships.  
> * Duilin is Sindar, and the youngest of the Lords of Gondolin.

Duilin hovered at the edge of the dressing room, already in his most formal robes. The ceremony should have started already, but Penlod had not appeared. Given it was a ceremony for him to take his brother’s mantle as well as his own, following Lord Fanbarad’s death at the recent battle.

“Do you need any help?” he asked, announcing himself with the words.

Penlod startled, face morphing into a politically neutral expression half of a moment later, “Can we not have time to grieve? Must we be thrown into this farce already?”

“We must show the people we still care… The official mourning period is over, the position must be filled for life to continue… It is not a matter of our feelings or us as people, we are needed as a symbol,” Duilin attempted to offer something as he tried to find something to do.

“You sound like my sister,” Penlod gave a half-laugh, dragging himself away from the window and beginning to braid up his hair. “We have lost the right to be people, now we must be perfect and beautiful and figureheads.”

“She sounds like a sensible woman,” Duilin passed him the hair-pins just out of reach, desperately trying to remember which courtier Penlod’s sister was.

Penlod nodded seriously in return, though there was something of a fondness in his eyes, “of course, that is why she refuses to attend court regularly, no matter her actual rank.”

“Definitely a sensible woman,” now he thought, Duilin thought he could probably pick out the woman in question. He paused for a few moments, “I am sorry about your brother. He was a fine man.”

“You do not need to offer empty nothings,” Penlod waved the comb in his general direction. “We are not friends.”

“No, but your brother was one of mine.”

“Then I doubt we will find much in common; Fanbarad and I certainly never did,” for all the words were filled with spite, still there was grief in them.

“Also I thought maybe they would speed you up; the King wishes to begin and sent me to fetch you.” Duilin risked a smile and a laughing tone.

“Ah, politics then. Always politics,” Penlod tied off the braid, tossing it over his shoulder. “Come, then. We should not keep his majesty waiting.”

Duilin wanted to say something else, maybe reassure Penlod that he had not agreed with Fanbarad on every topic, but the older Lord strode quickly away.

Maybe it was better this way - what Lord of Valinor actually wanted to spend time with the Sindar? Usually it was just trouble…

He followed, somewhat certain that he had missed something important. Well, if it was that important Penlod would probably have said so.


End file.
